So in the ninth year of Zedekiah's reign, on the tenth day of the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched against Jerusalem with his entire army. They encamped outside the city and built a siege wall all around it. So in the ninth year of Zedekiah’s reignThe phrase marks a specific historical moment, grounding the narrative in the timeline of Judah's last king, Zedekiah. Zedekiah, whose name means "The Lord is my righteousness," was appointed by Nebuchadnezzar as a puppet king. His reign, however, was marked by rebellion against Babylon, which ultimately led to the catastrophic events described in this chapter. The ninth year signifies a period of increasing tension and disobedience to God's warnings through prophets like Jeremiah. on the tenth day of the tenth month
This precise dating reflects the chronicler's intent to underscore the gravity and historicity of the events. The tenth month, Tevet in the Hebrew calendar, is a time of winter, symbolizing the cold and harsh reality of the siege. This date is commemorated in Jewish tradition as a fast day, reflecting on the beginning of Jerusalem's end. Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar, whose name means "Nabu, protect my boundary," was one of the most powerful monarchs of the ancient world. His campaigns expanded Babylon's empire and brought about the fulfillment of God's judgment on Judah for their persistent idolatry and covenant unfaithfulness. His role as an instrument of divine judgment is a sobering reminder of God's sovereignty over nations. marched against Jerusalem with his whole army
The march against Jerusalem was not merely a military campaign but a divine orchestration of judgment. The "whole army" indicates the seriousness and totality of the Babylonian effort to subdue Jerusalem, reflecting the completeness of God's impending judgment. This phrase also highlights the futility of resisting God's will when a nation turns away from Him. He encamped outside the city
The encampment signifies the beginning of a prolonged siege, a common military tactic in ancient warfare. It represents the tightening grip of Babylon on Jerusalem, a city that had once been the center of God's presence among His people. The encampment is a physical manifestation of the spiritual siege that had already taken place due to Judah's unfaithfulness. and built a siege wall all around it
The siege wall, or rampart, was a strategic move to cut off supplies and starve the city into submission. This action symbolizes the inescapable nature of God's judgment once it is decreed. The wall around Jerusalem is a stark image of the consequences of sin and rebellion, serving as a call to repentance and a return to covenant faithfulness. Persons / Places / Events 1. ZedekiahThe last king of Judah, appointed by Nebuchadnezzar, who reigned from 597 to 586 BC. His reign ended with the fall of Jerusalem. 2. NebuchadnezzarThe king of Babylon, known for his military conquests and the expansion of the Babylonian Empire. He led the siege against Jerusalem. 3. JerusalemThe capital city of Judah, significant in Jewish history as the location of the Temple and the center of worship. 4. BabylonA powerful empire during this period, known for its advanced culture and military strength. It played a central role in the exile of the Jewish people. 5. Siege WorksMilitary structures built to encircle and isolate a city, cutting off supplies and forcing surrender. This was a common tactic in ancient warfare. Teaching Points The Consequences of DisobedienceThe siege of Jerusalem was a direct result of Judah's persistent disobedience to God. This serves as a reminder of the importance of aligning our lives with God's will. God's Sovereignty in JudgmentDespite the devastation, the event underscores God's control over nations and history. Believers can trust in God's ultimate plan, even in times of judgment. The Importance of Heeding Prophetic WarningsThe prophets had warned Judah of impending judgment. This highlights the need to listen to and act upon God's Word in our lives. The Reality of Spiritual SiegeJust as Jerusalem faced a physical siege, believers can face spiritual sieges. We must remain vigilant in prayer and faith to withstand spiritual attacks. Hope Beyond JudgmentWhile the siege led to destruction, it also set the stage for eventual restoration. God's discipline is always aimed at bringing His people back to Himself. Bible Study Questions 1. What were the key factors that led to the siege of Jerusalem, and how can we apply these lessons to avoid spiritual pitfalls in our own lives? 2. How does the account of the siege in 2 Kings 25:1 relate to the broader account of God's judgment and mercy throughout the Bible? 3. In what ways can we see God's sovereignty at work in the events described in 2 Kings 25:1, and how does this influence our understanding of current world events? 4. How can we discern and respond to prophetic warnings in our own lives, both from Scripture and through the Holy Spirit? 5. What practical steps can we take to ensure that we are spiritually prepared for times of trial and testing, similar to a siege? Connections to Other Scriptures Jeremiah 39:1-2Provides a parallel account of the siege of Jerusalem, emphasizing the fulfillment of prophetic warnings given to Judah. Ezekiel 24:1-2Offers a prophetic perspective on the siege, marking it as a significant event in God's judgment against Jerusalem. 2 Chronicles 36:17-19Describes the consequences of the siege, including the destruction of the Temple and the exile of the people. People Ahikam, Babylonians, Careah, Elishama, Evilmerodach, Gedaliah, Ishmael, Jaazaniah, Jehoiachin, Johanan, Kareah, Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuzaradan, Nethaniah, Seraiah, Shaphan, Solomon, Tanhumeth, Zedekiah, ZephaniahPlaces Arabah, Babylon, Egypt, Hamath, Jericho, Jerusalem, Mizpah, RiblahTopics Army, Babylon, Buildeth, Building, Built, Camped, Earthworks, Encamped, Encampeth, Force, Fortification, Forts, Host, Jerusalem, Laid, Marched, Month, Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnez'zar, Ninth, Outside, Pass, Pitched, Position, Reign, Round, Rule, Sides, Siege, Siegeworks, Tenth, Town, Turrets, Wall, Works, Zedekiah'sDictionary of Bible Themes 2 Kings 25:1 5208 armies
5214 attack
5354 invasions
5366 king
5590 travel
5607 warfare, examples 2 Kings 25:1-3 4823 famine, physical 2 Kings 25:1-4 5256 city 2 Kings 25:1-7 1429 prophecy, OT fulfilment 2 Kings 25:1-11 5529 sieges 2 Kings 25:1-12 7245 Judah, kingdom of 2 Kings 25:1-21 4215 Babylon
7217 exile, in Babylon Library The End
'1. And it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came, he, and all his host, against Jerusalem, and pitched against it; and they built forts against it round about. 2. And the city was besieged unto the eleventh year of king Zedekiah. 3. And on the ninth day of the fourth month the famine prevailed in the city, and there was no bread for the people of the land. 4. And the city was broken up, and all the …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy ScriptureThe Last Agony
'In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army against Jerusalem, and they besieged it. 2. And in the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, the ninth day of the month, the city was broken up. 3. And all the princes of the king of Babylon came in, and sat in the middle gate, even Nergal-sharezer, Samgar-nebo, Sarse-chim, Rab-saris, Nergal-sharezer, Rab-mag, with all the residue of the princes of the king of Babylon. …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture 'As Sodom'
'Zedekiah was one and twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. 2. And he did that which was evil in the eyes of the Lord, according to all that Jehoiakim had done. 3. For through the anger of the Lord it came to pass in Jerusalem and Judah, till he had cast them out from his presence, that Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon. 4. And it came to pass, in the ninth year of his reign, …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture The Country of Jericho, and the Situation of the City.
Here we will borrow Josephus' pencil, "Jericho is seated in a plain, yet a certain barren mountain hangs over it, narrow, indeed, but long; for it runs out northward to the country of Scythopolis,--and southward, to the country of Sodom, and the utmost coast of the Asphaltites." Of this mountain mention is made, Joshua 2:22, where the two spies, sent by Joshua, and received by Rahab, are said to "conceal themselves." "Opposite against this, lies a mountain on the other side Jordan, beginning from …
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica How those who Use Food Intemperately and those who Use it Sparingly are to be Admonished.
(Admonition 20.) Differently to be admonished are the gluttonous and the abstinent. For superfluity of speech, levity of conduct, and lechery accompany the former; but the latter often the sin of impatience, and often that of pride. For were it not the case that immoderate loquacity carries away the gluttonous, that rich man who is said to have fared sumptuously every day would not burn more sorely than elsewhere in his tongue, saying, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he …
Leo the Great—Writings of Leo the Great The Historical Books.
1. In the Pentateuch we have the establishment of the Theocracy, with the preparatory and accompanying history pertaining to it. The province of the historical books is to unfold its practiced working, and to show how, under the divine superintendence and guidance, it accomplished the end for which it was given. They contain, therefore, primarily, a history of God's dealings with the covenant people under the economy which he had imposed upon them. They look at the course of human events on the …
E. P. Barrows—Companion to the Bible Backsliding.
"I will heal their backsliding; I will love them freely: for Mine anger is turned away."--Hosea xiv. 4. There are two kinds of backsliders. Some have never been converted: they have gone through the form of joining a Christian community and claim to be backsliders; but they never have, if I may use the expression, "slid forward." They may talk of backsliding; but they have never really been born again. They need to be treated differently from real back-sliders--those who have been born of the incorruptible …
Dwight L. Moody—The Way to God and How to Find It The Iranian Conquest
Drawn by Boudier, from the engraving in Coste and Flandin. The vignette, drawn by Faucher-Gudin, from a statuette in terra-cotta, found in Southern Russia, represents a young Scythian. The Iranian religions--Cyrus in Lydia and at Babylon: Cambyses in Egypt --Darius and the organisation of the empire. The Median empire is the least known of all those which held sway for a time over the destinies of a portion of Western Asia. The reason of this is not to be ascribed to the shortness of its duration: …
G. Maspero—History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 9 Formation and History of the Hebrew Canon.
1. The Greek word canon (originally a straight rod or pole, measuring-rod, then rule) denotes that collection of books which the churches receive as given by inspiration of God, and therefore as constituting for them a divine rule of faith and practice. To the books included in it the term canonical is applied. The Canon of the Old Testament, considered in reference to its constituent parts, was formed gradually; formed under divine superintendence by a process of growth extending through …
E. P. Barrows—Companion to the Bible Kings
The book[1] of Kings is strikingly unlike any modern historical narrative. Its comparative brevity, its curious perspective, and-with some brilliant exceptions--its relative monotony, are obvious to the most cursory perusal, and to understand these things is, in large measure, to understand the book. It covers a period of no less than four centuries. Beginning with the death of David and the accession of Solomon (1 Kings i., ii.) it traverses his reign with considerable fulness (1 Kings iii.-xi.), …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links 2 Kings 25:1 NIV2 Kings 25:1 NLT2 Kings 25:1 ESV2 Kings 25:1 NASB2 Kings 25:1 KJV
2 Kings 25:1 Commentaries
Bible Hub |
